


never loved one like you

by stormss



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Fluff, Found Family, M/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23958067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormss/pseuds/stormss
Summary: Judd finds that Heaven opens up and sheds light on him the moment his daughter is born. (Or, Grace and Judd are about to become parents. Like always, the 126 is there for them).*Lone Star Week, Day 1:Family.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Grace Ryder/Judd Ryder (9-1-1 Lone Star), Judd Ryder & TK Strand
Comments: 20
Kudos: 121
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star Week, 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand





	never loved one like you

**Author's Note:**

> happy lone star week!! i absolutely adore grace and judd's relationship and wanted to explore them through this fic, so here we are! this marks my first attempt at writing a different pairing from the show, so let me know what you think! the title comes from _home_ by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros. 
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr!](https://reyesstrand.tumblr.com/)

On the surface, it seems like a story as old as time: boy meets girl, and the stars align. 

But there's always more than what meets the eye. Judd has an uncle from San Antonio who dies on the job one day, when he's fifteen-years-old. It punches a hole through his chest and he finds it hard to sleep amid his mother's cries in the next room over, and he resolves to honour him the only way he knows how: helping those in need in his own city. He'd sprouted up at twelve, now taller than his father, and he's gotten strong thanks to his summers spent working the fields and taming horses at his grandparents' farm with his brothers, and when he tells his daddy over dinner one night that he's going to join the fire academy when he graduates high school, his old man looks at him with pride. His ma stares too long at the framed photo of her brother, against the rig at his own station, before reaching over to squeeze his hand. 

He's eighteen and graduates the academy several months later with flying colours. He moves out to his own place deeper in the heart of Austin, and he's brought into a new family at the 126. Judd tries to date around as he finds himself settling into his own skin as a freshly-minted firefighter, officially passed his exams and no longer referred to as the probie. Judd sees a few women casually, but he turns twenty-four and is swirling around the contents of his coffee at a mixer for first-responders and their friends and family, and the prettiest lady he's ever seen catches his eyes, and in those moments he knows that he's a goner. 

Boy meets girl, and girl meets boy. They share a look and a smile from across the room, and the rest is history. 

Grace is twenty and she's quick as a whip and absolutely stunning as she tilts her head back and laughs at her friend's joke. Judd works up the courage to speak to her and he finds out that she's working on fulfilling the requirements to start a job at dispatch, and his heart doesn't stop racing the whole conversation. 

"You seem flustered, Judd," she says, and he likes the way his name rolls off her tongue; the way her voice already seems to take on a teasing lilt when she runs her eyes over him. 

"Well, I don't meet beautiful women like you every day," Judd replies, and there's a twinkle in her eye as she brings her coffee to her lips. 

There's a small dance-floor set up, and the band is playing the oldies that Judd grew up on. An upbeat number starts, and a few couples spill out on the floor, and Grace smiles up at him. "Care to dance, cowboy?" 

Judd is completely, wholeheartedly gone for her. And twelve years later, nothing has changed. 

* * *

In hindsight, Judd should've known that it would happen at an unexpected moment. 

For the last eight-and-a-half months, Judd's been trying to prepare himself, and it only seems right that he'd be in the middle of giving a fire safety presentation at a local middle school when he gets the call from his wife. Judd's a little stifled in his collared shirt, constantly feeling antsy the closer the due date comes, and as he rattles off information on smoke detectors and the importance of coming up with a fire escape plan at home, his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He tries to ignore the pull to answer it, too occupied with the twenty sets of eyes watching his every move, and TK's still passing out red plastic fire helmets and waiting to launch into the questions-and-answers segment of the presentation. When his phone goes off again, TK's back at his side at the front of the classroom, and the younger man nudges him to answer it. 

"Sorry kids, duty calls," Judd says, aiming for lighthearted as he smiles at the group and points to the hallway, shooting an apologetic glance at Rita, his sister-in-law and the teacher of the class, who he's promised for months to come in and talk to her kids. TK claps him on the shoulder before capturing the attention of the kids, effectively covering for him as he takes over the last few talking points before offering the group a chance to ask him questions. Judd slips out of the classroom and has his phone to his ear before the door fully closes. 

"Hey baby, is everything okay?" Judd asks, rubbing at the back of his neck as he hears his wife's breathlessness on the other end. "Grace?" 

"I don't want you to worry, but my water just broke." 

Judd feels his heart drop to his feet. It's a couple weeks early, but all their classes and doctors visits have prepared them for this possibility, but his mind starts going a million miles a minute as he starts babbling mindlessly and —

"— _breathe_ , my love," Grace says, and Judd almost finds it funny that his wife's the one calming him down while she's going into labour. The only positive here is that his mother-in-law has been spending her days with Grace whenever he's working (or has work- _related_ outings planned, like today) and she knows their birth plan. She's as quick-minded and steady as his wife is, and while he knows that Grace is in the best hands, he just desperately needs to get to her. 

"What," Judd starts pacing, shaking his head at himself as he tries to get the words out. "Where are you at now?" 

His eyes catch the bright-coloured posters that are lining the walls, offering positivity and preaching respect to others. 

Grace lets out a low groan, and he winces because all he wants is to be there for his wife. She's the strongest person he's ever met, and yet he desperately doesn't want her to have to go through this without him. Eventually, she speaks again. "We're on our way to St. David's now. Momma's already called ahead to our doctor." 

"Okay, I'm coming," Judd says, as TK comes out of the classroom with their shared bag with supplies reserved for these presentations, with worry set in his eyes as he approaches. "I love you."

Grace says it back before they're hanging up, and Judd shakily exhales and presses his back against a row of lockers, lurching forward to grasp at his knees and try to steady his breathing. 

"Judd? What's wrong, man?" TK's voice breaks through the panic building within him, and Judd looks up as TK stands in front of him. "I'm going to touch you, is that okay?" 

After managing a nod, he feels TK's hand splayed across the middle of his shoulders, rubbing small circles there in an effort to calm him. A few moments later, Judd sniffs and roughly clears his throat, standing straighter when he remembers all at once the matter at hand. 

"It's Grace, she's going to the hospital," Judd explains, and when TK's eyes widen, he quickly adds: "The baby's coming." 

"Holy shit!" TK exclaims, before remembering where they are and lowering his voice as the school bell rings. "Well, come on then. I'll drive you. I already cleared things up in there." 

"I guess I owe you one, brother." Judd says, standing at full height and squeezing TK's shoulder. 

TK shrugs him off, grinning at him. "Come on, man, you're going to be a dad!" 

He starts guiding the two of them out of the school because things are still a little hazy in Judd's mind. He stumbles a bit because the kid's _right._ Judd gives TK a wary look as the younger man slides into the driver's seat, fingers already drumming against the steering wheel despite them not even being out of the parking lot yet. "Don't give me that look. You guys are meant for this." 

"I sure hope so," Judd mutters, watching out the window as he tries to tamper down his nerves. 

* * *

They talk about having kids, for real, a few weeks after the solar storm. 

The realization seems to dawn on them at the same time that life is short, and the seed has been planted by his own father, who has been bringing up the desire for a grandbaby ever since they spoke in the hospital. Grace tries to bring some levity to their situation; they're still going to therapy together and Judd has his solo sessions to try and work through his anxiety. And Grace is adamant that they wait until Judd feels like he has more stability in his coping mechanisms to deal with his PTSD, but he's getting _better_ — sure, he's often sent spiralling into anxiety attacks that practically knock him on his ass. Starting a family has always been one of their dreams, though, and it seems like it's been an inevitability that they'd try to have children ever since they exchanged vows. 

_Starting a family_ had been loosely pencilled into their five-year plan, which then shifted when the reality of Judd's long shifts set in and Grace was really starting to find her groove at dispatch. They decided to wait, and that was almost six years ago, now. 

Judd knows he's ready. He'd never push his wife, but she's been dropping hints herself, and when he discloses his fears with Owen, he tells him that it's jut a part of parenting that never really goes away. But it's the unconditional love of being a parent that outweighs the shit, Owen promised, leaving Judd even more optimistic. And when he whispers that he's ready to his wife, as they sit outside and look up at the stars after date night, she kisses him softly and tells him that she's ready, too. 

* * *

"Dude, come on," Marjan mutters as she clamps a hand down on his jerking knee. TK makes a face at her but he tries to tamper down his need to bounce his leg in anticipation. After a few moments, the clock ticks over to _8:03,_ and Marjan nudges his shoulder. "I'm going to get some air. Want a coffee?" 

"Yeah, please," TK offers her a small smile, which she returns before they bump knuckles and she moves around the rest of the waiting room to see who else needs a pick-me-up. He goes back to bouncing his leg as he clasps his hands in front of him, wringing his fingers as he glances up at the clock again. It's been six hours since he got Judd to the hospital and was left to sit in the waiting room while he called the others, and there's been no news from either of Grace's parents, o Judd. 

His phone vibrates, and he smiles because not only does he need the distraction, but Carlos never fails to brighten up his mood. His worry fades just a little as he opens up their message thread, reading over his boyfriend's most recent message: _i wish i could be there for them. how much longer do you think it'll be?_

TK sometimes forgets that Carlos knew Grace and Judd for several years before him, and he feels bad that his boyfriend is stuck doing casework and can't be here for his friends like he clearly wants to be. 

_last we heard she was getting an epidural. could be a few hours still,_ TK sends back, only having to wait half a minute for the next text to come through. 

_i'm coming by when my shift ends,_ Carlos replies, quickly followed by: _do you need anything?_

 _just you,_ TK smirks a little as he sends the response, watching as three blinking dots appear and disappear just as quickly. 

_you're cute,_ Carlos finally sends back, tacking on a message that he should be getting back to his paperwork. TK stuffs his phone back in his pocket and brings one knee up to his chest, tilting his head back against the wall as he aimlessly stares off into space. It feels strange to be in the hospital again but on the other end of the waiting process, although he has to admit that he prefers this over life-saving surgery. His shoulder twinges a little at the memory, and he's still absently rubbing at his scar over his collared AFD shirt when Marjan returns with a tray of coffees. 

"Any news?" She asks, as he curls his hands around the styrofoam cup. 

TK shakes his head. "Still nothing, unfortunately." 

"Baby Ryder's already a stubborn one," Marjan grins, and TK smiles at her as the same unspoken thought passes between them: _just like her father._ She moves on to pass around the rest of the coffees after offering him a wink, and TK sips at his, which is slightly burnt but gets the job done. 

A few more hours pass without news, and TK's half-asleep, his elbow digging into the armrest of the upholstered chair and his palm supporting his head as his eyes droop. The last he checked, Mateo had passed out slumped against Marjan half an hour ago, and Paul was fighting sleep and reading his book in the corner. TK groans a little when he feels someone sit next to him, but he opens his eyes and is met with the welcomed sight of his boyfriend, and he immediately perks up.

"I brought you this," Carlos says in lieu of a greeting, and TK brightens as he sees one of his hoodies in Carlos' hands; likely one of the many he's forgotten at Carlos' house or in his car. He grins when TK leans into his space and kisses him, briefly but full of longing. 

"You're a lifesaver," TK feels the magnetic pull to stay put next to his boyfriend, but he's wanted to get out of his uniform for the last several hours. So he gets to his feet and finds the nearest bathroom, where he changes into the pale green hoodie and splashes some water on his face and comes back out to the waiting room to plop down next to Carlos. 

And their quiet conversation only lasts for a few moments, because his dad exclaims — probably too loud for the hour — that he's gotten a text from Judd and the baby has come. 

* * *

The back of the package promises results within three minutes, and Grace nervously twirls her wedding band around her finger with her thumb while she sets the test on the bathroom counter, sitting on the edge of the tub as she waits. 

"I've got the timer set," Judd says, glancing down at his phone for a brief moment before he leans over to place it on the counter. He settles in next to her and roughly clears his throat as they set out to undergo the longest moments of their lives. Wordlessly and working in tune with one another, they reach out for each other, fingers threading together as Grace rests her head on her husband's shoulder. 

Judd smooths his thumb over her knuckles, and he maneuvers his other arm to curl around her frame. They're both trying to stay positive because there's little else in the world they want more than to start a family, but they don't want to get their hopes up too much. Grace really isn't sure what the test is going to say, but she remembers the horror stories of their other friends and how long it took to get pregnant, and tries to stay realistic. Judd pulls her closer and presses a kiss to the top of her head, both of them comfortable in the silence as they wait. 

Grace finds herself smiling up at her husband, at this man who has managed to capture her heart every day since they met. Everyone told them they were too young for marriage, and it took a lot of work on Judd's part to impress her father to convince him he was good enough for her, but here they are. With her thumb, Grace rubs over the back of Judd's hand; she absentmindedly starts tracing over his tattoo, calming her own mind as she follows the bold lines of _PSALM 31._ She holds her other hand over her stomach, wondering, hoping, before stuttering out a shaky breath. Grace squeezes her eyes shut and slumps against Judd's chest when he pulls her even closer. 

The timer goes off, then, and Judd swears under his breath, hands shaking with anticipation as Grace stands up and looks down at the test. 

Her eyes fill with tears as she meets her husband's eyes. 

"It's positive," she whispers, a smile pulling wide at her lips when Judd lets out a choked-off sound. 

He stands and curls his arms around her, lifting Grace off her feet, murmuring _I love you so much_ like a mantra under his breath. 

* * *

Judd finds that Heaven opens up and sheds light on him the moment his daughter is born. 

They hadn't bothered with finding out the sex of their baby; they'd painted the nursery the colour of sunset and were already in love with their little one, no matter what. But when his daughter is placed on Grace's chest, soft cries echoing through the room as congratulations are showered over Grace and he kisses her temple, his heart soars. 

A few nights ago, Grace had told him how excited she was to start something new with him; this was something they'd be venturing into together and there was something so endearing about that. And Judd couldn't agree more — he had kissed her and placed a hand on her belly and they'd slept as long as they could until Judd had to head in for a shift. 

"You did so well, baby," Judd whispers, feeling tears on his own cheeks as he wipes under his wife's eyes, pressing another kiss to her forehead. 

"She's so beautiful," Grace murmurs, meeting Judd's eyes for half a second before they both focus their attention on their daughter, still pressed against Grace's skin. The world turns into a blur around them as Judd focuses on their small family, when he feels a sudden pull to look up and he sees Owen standing in the doorway, hand lifted in a wave. Grace notices, too, and she nods up at her husband. "You can go ahead, honey. We're okay." 

Judd squeezes her hand and steps back so Grace's parents can come in and get a better look at their granddaughter, running a hand down his face as he steps out to talk to Owen — only to come face to face with the entire team. He knows how long this day has been, and he's shocked to see them all. 

"Did y'all really stay all this time?" Judd asks, feeling his heart swell with adoration for them all. 

"Do you think so little of us, Judd?" TK throws back at him, offering a teasing smile from where he's standing with his boy's arm thrown over his shoulders. His expression softens a little and he steps away from Carlos' hold when Judd moves toward him and pulls him in for a hug. 

"Of course we'd be here for you, man," Paul pipes up once Judd's pulled out of the hug, and he moves on to just let the others tackle him in a group hug. 

"We're a family," Mateo says earnestly, the others speaking up in agreement. Owen's hand clamps down on Judd's shoulder and he nods to him, both of them sharing a knowing look. 

Judd looks them over, and thinks of his wife and daughter, and knows for a fact he's the luckiest man alive. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! comments/kudos are greatly appreciated!


End file.
